Shillong, March 17: A meeting of the State Telecom Disaster Coordination Committee (STDCC) for the North East (NE) Licensed Service Area (LSA), covering the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura, was held recently under the chairmanship of the Deputy Director General (Technology), NE LSA, Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
The discussions focused on strengthening coordination between telecom service providers and disaster management authorities to ensure resilient and uninterrupted telecom connectivity during disaster situations. Issues related to disaster preparedness, restoration of telecom services during emergencies, and effective communication support for response operations were deliberated in detail.
Telecom Service Providers shared updates regarding disaster preparedness measures, including availability of backup power arrangements, mobile BTS deployment, and emergency restoration teams to ensure quick restoration of telecom services during natural calamities. Telecom Service Providers were asked to ensure sufficient power backups (minimum 6 hrs), alternate communication media through satellite and availability of portable BTSs etc.
The Chair emphasised the critical role of telecom infrastructure in disaster management and highlighted the importance of close coordination among all stakeholders to ensure timely communication support during emergencies. Participants also discussed measures to improve response mechanisms, information sharing, and coordination during disaster situations.
The meeting was attended by representatives from various stakeholder organizations in the NELSA including officials from the State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs), District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs), concerned State Government Departments, the 1st and 12th Battalions of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), and officers from the North East LSA, Department of Telecommunications. The meeting concluded with a collective commitment from all stakeholders to further strengthen telecom resilience and disaster preparedness across the North East region.
